We All Have Secrets
by Faeore
Summary: I'm not sure if I'm going to continue this or not, as much as I'd like to it kinda depends on reviews, if I do continue I'll probably try to finish off my other fic first ^.^ For the summary check the start of the fic, please tell me what you think =) *no
1. We All Have Secrets - Part 1

We All Have Secrets

Written by Arti Cuno

Part One

Forget almost everything you know about the pokémon world related to Satoshi and Shigeru's travels other then knowing they "hate" one another and have traveled across Pokémon Island and further entering several different leagues. The basics still stay, Satoshi meeting Kasumi, Takeshi, Kenji, and others. Things are going to be twisted in this fic a lot, and if you don't like Yuri or Yaoi (possibly yaoi, not sure on this one yet .) this might not be the fic for you ^.^

The first change you have to be made aware of is Satoshi, In this "what if...?" world he becomes a she and is now Satori, a flat chested tom-boy still out to be the best trainer in the world with her friends Kasumi and Takeshi.

However, you all know me and I'm not big on Sato-anything fics, this is going to be more of a Shigeru fic, or is it? =)

* * *

Shigeru sat at a small café with a cappuccino in front of him. He was admiring the scenery of the city he was in as he considered his plan of action for taking on the new league he was entering. The Astro League was one of the hardest leagues to join, you needed to have completed all the requirements for at least four other leagues then earn ten badges of the possible 13 in their own district. The down side was if you lost to someone, there was no rematches unless you proved you deserved it by beating another of the leaders.

Leaning over a map of the area, he decided it was the best to head east first and try for the Aquarius Badge. From there he could go for the Libra Badge to the south. He figured he'd plan the rest of after trying for the first two badges, he was definitely leaving the required Astro Badge. It was suggested to him before to save it as a last match. It was an extended twelve on twelve match, this league was by far different from what he was used to.

Shigeru folded the map up and finished off the cappuccino. He left enough money to cover the drink and the tip, if not more then needed, and proceeded to the pokémart. He'd run out of most of the things he usually carried with him on his way there, beating trainers who'd randomly popped out of nowhere and challenged, most with pokémon new to him. He figured they were common to the area and planned on catching some of them himself to send back to his grandfather.

He flipped the map over to look at the side with the major cities on it. Thankfully he had bought the map before entering the strange place, it was quite far from home, further then he'd ever been, but he figured it was time to be out on his own more, being eighteen now. He remember back when he first went on his original journey with Eevee and Charmander. Both now were evolved. Charizard and Celesteon. Celesteon was said to be one of a kind and many people had offered everything they had just to add the angelic white and blue eevee to their collections. No one knew what had caused Eevee to evolve, she had been badly hurt in battle, protecting Shigeru from a ringuma that had attacked, but something seemed to happen during the battle that did it.

He found where he was on the map and counted how many streets "up" he had to go before finding the pokémart before putting it away again. Shigeru then grabbed Celesteon's pokéball and let the critter out to walk at his side. As it was freed it barked happily and flapped her wings. It looked like an angel, and was one of the few celestial types out there. Celesteon rubbed against her trainer's legs and followed along, her halo leaning crooked over her head.

After the semi-long walk the arrived at their destination. The building was at least five stories high but the mart only occupied the main level. He walked up to the door and it slid open as the sensor above it caught his movement. Celesteon scampered in and sniffed the air, she was looking for the food aisle as she always did. Shigeru looked for the pokéballs, figuring his critter would be fine since there were people watching all around the building.

After gathering everything he'd intended to buy he went to find his mutt. As expected she was sitting next to a bag of pokéchow, Eevee brand, the kind she loved. Unfortunately she'd broken into the bag, another expense Shigeru would have to add to his already high list. As he approached the pokémon to scold it he realized it wasn't his Celesteon. The one there was too small and fluffier.

"WAHH!! BAD HALO! BAD GIRL!" a female voice cried out, it seemed obvious it was the celesteon's trainer.

The girl grabbed the pokémon, dropping the items she'd been carrying. "I told you I don't have the money for that! Grr... What am I going to do with you!?"

Gary was shocked to see someone else with the "one of a kind" pokémon only he was supposed to have. He was even more shocked at the owner's looks. Long blue hair, large red eyes, tanned skin, short being the only "downfall" he could spot right off.

His own Celesteon walked up to his side unexpectedly and pawed at his leg. She looked at the other of her kind being picked up and cuddled and seemed envious. Shigeru picked her up from the floor and looked at the other trainer. "Er, hi, I see you've got a Celesteon too..." his voice was slightly shaky, not really knowing what to say.

The girl looked up from her angel puppy and blinked. "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't even notice you." she smiled. "Aw, your celesteon's so cute." she reached out and scratched it under the chin. "But I'm being rude," she stuck out a hand, Shigeru reached out and shook it. "I'm Arti, But I'm not from here, only came to enter the league, I'm not doing too well..."

Shigeru returned her smile. "I'm Shigeru, and I'm just entering the league actually, I've already been though the Indigo, Orange, Jolt, and Star Leagues. Though I'm from the Indigo district by license."

"Really?" Arti asked, fishing about in her pocket. She pulled out her own license. "Me too, in the Prussian Town area." she looked down at the mess on the floor. "Er, excuse me, I've gotta deal with this, if I can... I don't think I have the money to cover a bag of eevee food this big..."

Halo's ears drooped down and she whined quietly. The pokémon looked like it had just been hungry and trying to get something to eat. As Arti began to search for someone to tell what had happened and attempt to pay for the damages the store manager approached them.

"What happened here?" the fat man asked, pointing at the spilled eevee chow and items Arti had dropped. "Someone's going to have to pay for it."

Arti attempted to explain hat happened but Shigeru cut her off. "I'm really sorry, my Celesteon got hungry and broke the bag open. And when I tried to stop her I dropped everything. I'll pay though." he pulled out his wallet to pay the manager. "Actually can I pay for this too?" he pointed to the other things he was carrying. 

"Shigeru..." Arti protested.

"Yeah, I guess kid, pick it up and I'll ring it in at the counter over there." the fat manager pointed to his right and walked off waiting for Shigeru to gather everything.

"Why did you do that?!" Arti asked. "I can't pay you back for this you know!"

Shigeru shrugged. "Then call it an I Owe You, I don't mind." He helped Arti pick up what she'd dropped, all of it being pokémon food and a few pokéballs, then picked the busted bag up keeping more food from coming out.

He carried everything to the counter and paid for it, it was more then he expected, nearly fifty dollars. After reluctantly forking over the money he carried everything out, walking with Arti and the two pups. As they exited he set everything down to pick out what was hers.

"You on a tight budget or something?" he asked, handing her a bag with her things and another one with half the eevee food.

Arti sighed and looked at the ground. "Yeah, I was robbed when I was on my way here from home. The money I do have is from battling trainers along the way. It's not much but-." she reached into her pocket to pull it out.

Shigeru knew she was going to offer it to him, but he didn't want to accept it. If it was all she had he wasn't about to let her starve. "Keep it." he smiled. "You need it more then me. You'll just have to do me a favor in return..."

Arti raised an eyebrow. "You'd better not mean sleep with you." she warned.

Shigeru laughed. "No! I don't mean that, I'm not like that... I was wondering if you'd join me traveling to the next town where I plan to try for the Aquarian Badge. After that you'd be debt free."

"That's it?" Arti seemed suspicious. "Well, I guess I can go with you, I was going to head off to Aries myself but having someone to tag along with can't hurt."

The two rare eevee evos barked happily. They'd never seen another one of their own kind before and didn't want to part from one another.

"I've gotta go to the pokécentre to pick up my things first." Shigeru explained. "I left it there so I didn't have to drag it around the city with me. You can come with me or meet up somewhere later." He let Celesteon on the ground so he could carry his things easier.

"I might as well follow. I've got nothing to do, and nothing to carry. Everything was taken other then my pokémon..." Arti sighed.

Shigeru gave her a whack on the back. "Cheer up. At least you've got me now." he grinned. "Though you'd probably rather get rid of me. Anyways..."

They started off to the pokémon centre, Arti lagging slightly behind with her head hung low. Shigeru had a feeling something happened she didn't want to share, more then just being robbed. He didn't want to pry though, he just met her, and no matter how much he was attracted to her looks he had no right to ask.

Shigeru finally arrived at the pokémon centre, with Arti still trailing behind. He went in and figured she'd come in when she got there, he wasn't in a major rush. He walked up to where Joy was asking if his pokémon were ready to go. She gave him her usual polite smile and nodded as she went off to get them.

Shigeru grabbed his backpack at the side of the desk and flung it over a shoulder. He checked to see if Arti was coming yet only to lock eyes with someone else he didn't expect to see.

"Satori..." he muttered under his breath. "I see you actually made it here..."

Satori walked up to Shigeru's side at the front desk, waiting for Nurse Joy. With her Pikachu perched on her head Satori made a face at Shigeru. "I didn't expect to see you here, 'Shigeru'. I thought you'd be a mile ahead like you bragged back home."

"I will be." Shigeru sneered, "I just got held up a bit! You'll be eating my dust soon enough!"

"I doubt that, I've got a plan to beat you this time, like I did before in the Orange League." Satori quipped, grinning evilly.

"That was dumb luck," Shigeru snorted, Joy handed him his pokéballs, all nine which they were allowed to carry. He clipped them on his belt under his shirt and walked off. "I'll see you in the Astro League and this time you'll loose horribly."

Shigeru stormed off, exiting just as Arti was catching up to him. "C'mon, we'd better get going." he advised, waving for her to follow.

* * *

Now on their way to Aquarius City, Shigeru and Arti trudged along hoping to make it at least half way before night fall, it was already starting to darken and Arti was beginning to slow down her pace. The same thing she'd been doing now and again the whole time along.

Shigeru poked Arti in the back a few times as she began to slow down. "Hey, speed up slowpoke." he teased. "Something wrong? You've been dragging your feet and moping along the whole time, you're not much fun you know."

"Sorry..." she apologized, adjusting the speed she was walking at so that she was by Shigeru's side. The celesteon were trotting in front of their trainers happily.

"Sorry doesn't answer if something's wrong." Shigeru insisted, not intending to force her to tell him her problems, even if it sounded like he was trying to.

She looked away. "Nothing's wrong, really. Just please don't ask again, I'm only here to help pay back what I owe, maybe I should just give you my money and leave..."

Shigeru cringed, he'd been too nosey and was scaring her off, not what he intended at all. "Hey, no need for that..." he smiled, giving her a nudge with his elbow. "I don't want you wandering off alone somewhere to get robbed again."

Arti stopped on the spot, turning back to him with her head low. That had been a comment too many he realized. Brining up the thieves was too much. Shigeru stepped up to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Arti?" he asked, concerned.

She turned away again, hiding her face. Shigeru realized she was crying, he knew for sure something bad happened when the robbers took everything from her. He didn't know how to comfort her though, she didn't want to be touched it seemed, despite how badly he wanted to hug her and try to make her happy.

"Arti..." he said again, putting his arms around her gently and holding her. "I didn't mean to make you cry..."

She spun again and clung to him, still crying. "It's not your fault..." she sobbed. "Those men that robbed me... They... They..." she broke into tears all over again, he words being muffed and cut up from her sobbing.

Shigeru rested his forehead against hers and sighed. "It's alright now. They're not here, and I'm not going to hurt you..."

Arti calmed down slightly and looked up at Shigeru. He smiled down at her and brushed her long bangs from her face. "Hey, I know we just met a few hours ago but I already feel attached to ya." he admitted, making her begin to smile back at him. "I'm not going to just leave you behind somewhere so don't worry about anything."

Arti nodded and stepped away from Shigeru. The two Celesteon were at their trainers feet looking up with worry in their innocent eyes. Halo flew into Arti's arms and licked her tears off her cheeks.

"Maybe we should set up camp here for the night..." Shigeru suggested. He let his backpack slide from his shoulder onto the ground where it landed with a thump. He proceeded to look though it for something, finally pulling out a box of matches and some newspaper. "Now, we'll need some wood to start a fire..."

He looked up at Arti who seemed to be slightly chilled. The sun was almost down and a cold breeze was starting to build up. He pulled out a blanket while he was digging in his backpack and handed it to her. "You can stay here, I'll go get some wood and be back as soon as I can. Don't worry, I shouldn't be long."

He went off into the woods to gather some broken off branches and twigs, enough for a small fire, keeping in mind he didn't want to be gone away from Arti too long. It wasn't that he was worried someone would come along and try to hurt her, it was more he was worries she'd take off without him. She seemed to think she was worthless and wanted to be alone. Shigeru thought it was typical for what he assumed happened to her, Even if she hadn't said anything. He knew what she'd wanted to tell him.

After collecting enough wood to keep a fire going for most of the night he returned back to the site they'd picked to stop at and dropped the wood in a pile near Arti. She was sitting with the blanket over her shoulders and around her with the two eons cuddled close to her.

Shigeru light one of the matches he had and in turn light the news paper on fire. He then set the flaming paper on the dry wood hoping the wind wouldn't blow it out before the wood caught fire too. Thankfully it did as he hoped and the fire began to give off heat as it grew. Arti moved closer to it, the pups still laying on or beside her.

Shigeru grinned from across the dancing flames, watching her pet the angelic animals around her. He was glade she trusted him enough to at least attempt to try and tell her what had happened, but he had to admit to himself he also had a secret he should have shared with her.

Arti sighed and yawned. The sun was now down and it was late, Shigeru didn't have a watch with him but he knew it was at least ten o'clock, he learned over the years to be able to give a good estimate of what time it was.

Breaking the sound of the crackling fire, a bush began to rustle, but the wind had calmed down. Shigeru stood up, intending to investigate what caused the sound when three male trainers stepped out from the bushes.

"So, we've found our next target boys," the apparent leader announced. Arti's eyes shot open as she heard the voice. "And lookie here, we've got a repeat customer!"


	2. We All Have Secrets - Part 2

We All Have Secrets

Written by Arti Cuno and Garry Oak

Part Two

Arti scrambled to her feet, dropping the blanket over her shoulders. She had a Celesteon in each arm, holding the pups so that the three strangers didn't try to take them. Shigeru quickly stepped in front of Arti, so that the three people couldn't touch her. He could tell by the look in her eyes that something wasn't right. He had a feeling these were the people that robbed her before. And their "repeat customer" was in reference to Arti.

"Seems we've got a little boy trying to protect her this time too, how... pathetic..." the leader rambled, spitting at Shigeru. "You ain't gonna be able to stop us so give up your things and give us the girl. We might even be nice to her this time. But I do admit it was fun with her being as wild as she was..."

Shigeru growled. He knew there was no way he could take on three people all older and probably stronger then him. It was just ridicules. He wasn't a comic hero able to do amazing feats at the last second, saving the day. He began to back up slowly, pushing Arti back with him. Two of the people began to advance on them, the other stopped to go through Shigeru's things looking for anything they could take.

"Little baby scared? Awww, c'mere, I ain't gonna hurt you too bad. I won't hurt you at all if you give up the girlie and any money you have." the guy continued taunting Shigeru, making him madder. 

Shigeru wasn't about to just tell them to take his money and give them Arti. Sure, he barely knew her but he wasn't the type of person to make someone else go through hell just to make his life better. He had been before, and he knew it. When he first went out on his own he'd have done anything to save his own hide. That attitude stopped when something drastic happened, making him realize it wasn't right to be like that.

"Halo!" Arti yelped. Her Celesteon leaped from her arms and stepped in from of Shigeru. The fluffy, winged animal snarled at the two men. Halo then barked loudly, trying to scare them off.

"This little runt is supposed to protect you? You're kidding me. It looks like a friggin' stuffed toy!" the lead guy kicked at Halo, only to be bit. He yelped and pulled his foot back, reaching for his belt. "I'll show you, you bitch!"

He threw out a pokéball, which narrowly missed Halo, it looked as if he was trying to steal the rare pokémon but Shigeru soon realized he wasn't trying to after all. The ball bounced once on the ground before releasing its usual red light which formed into the shape of a bear on all fours soon was visible in the light given off from the fire. The bear was solid back, other then its eyes which were glowing red, but Shigeru didn't know if that was really the animal's eyes or the fire reflecting on them. He didn't recognize the pokémon either. He assumed it was something like a Ringuma only from this area. It also seemed to be a devil type. Thankfully Halo had the advantage being a celestial type.

"Grizcheif, slash that winged hairball!" the trainer ordered.

Halo whimpered, the bear was huge next to her, even if there was a type advantage it wasn't looking good for her. "Celes!!" Celesteon barked, jumping away from Arti to help her fellow pokémon. Celesteon was bigger then Halo, and seemed to be stronger.

As the bear slashed at one of the celesteon it would dodge, leaving the bear to try for the other. The beast's size seemed to slow it down, making it impossible for it to keep up with the smaller pokémon. "Heaven's Light!" Arti ordered Halo. Shigeru turned to see her focused on the battle that had inadvertently started. The attack she named was something he'd never head of before.

Halo bounced backwards a few times, getting distance away from the attacking bear. She began to glow with a white light which turned to a silver color. The puppy yelped loudly as it released a beam of silver light from its mouth, striking the bear and sending it backwards, smashing into its trainer and the trainer's friend.

Halo dropped down to the ground, exhausted from using all her energy on one attack. Celesteon finished off the battle by approaching the third man and barking at him. After seeing what Halo had done the man ran off, dropping everything he had with him. The bear trainer and remaining person ran off after the first person to flee with their Grizcheif close behind.

"That showed em who's boss." Shigeru mused, picking up Celesteon. The pokémon wagged her tail happily.

Arti went to Halo's side and picked her up. Halo yawned, tired from her battle. Arti sighed and checked her over for any injuries, thankfully there weren't any. "Are we staying here? I really don't wanna..." Arti spoke up, looking down the trail the three trainers had taken. "They might come back again... And I don't want to be here if they do..."

Shigeru watched the expression on her face change from how it had been only moments ago. She was perfectly fine while she was watching Halo battle, now she seemed to have her thoughts back on when she'd been attacked before. Her head was lowered, and she was looking at the ground. Shigeru could tell if he said he was going to stay she'd run off somewhere by herself when he wasn't looking.

"We don't have to stay." he said, walking to her side. He lifted her chin. "We'll walk a while to get away from here, okay? Then we'll find a new place to stop for a while."

Arti nodded. She took a pokéball from her belt and called Halo into it. Shigeru realized he should do the same and put Celesteon back in her ball, giving the two pokémon time to rest. He walked back to where his things were, by the fire, and began to pack everything back in his sack. He picked up something the man digging in his things dropped and looked at it.

"A blue bird?" he asked, more to himself. It looked like it was a charm off a necklace or bracelet, made of sapphire with a small ruby eye on each side of the bird's head. It also seemed to have a diamond embedded in its chest as if it was to have a white spot on its front.

"Blue bird?" Arti looked over to see what Shigeru was talking about. "My Articuno!" she was at his side in an instant and took the small bird from him. She reached into her pocket and held up a broken necklace chain. "When I was attacked they saw my necklace and ripped the bird off it, trying to choke me with the chain at the same time. Instead it broke and they took the Articuno..." Arti explained, puttin the bird back on the chain where it belonged. She tied the chain so that the bird wouldn't fall off then placed it back in her pocket.

"I don't suppose any of the other things he dropped are yours?" Shigeru asked. He'd picked up everything that was his but the remaining things were enough to have been someone else's entire traveling gear.

Arti looked though the things, most of it seemed to be hers. She gathered it into a pile but didn't have anything to carry it in. The man had ran off with the back and the few things left in it.

"Here." Shigeru threw the blanket Arti had been wrapped in earlier at her. "This should do until we can get you something in Aquarius City to carry everything in."

Arti laid the blanket out and placed all her things on it, then grabbed the four corners and picked the blanket up like a sack. She threw it over her shoulder and sighed. "This still isn't all the money I lost... I wouldn't care about having lost everything if they hadn't..." her voice trailed off like it had before when she tired to explain what had happened. She wasn't crying this time but it was obvious she still hurt.

Shigeru threw dirt over the fire they had going and waited for it to go out. Once the pair were done waiting and the twigs stopped burning they left the area and continued on to the City where they would each have their first battle in the Astro League.

* * *

After walking for another few hours, Arti had collapsed to her knees, yawning. She was totally exhausted but Shigeru knew she didn't want to stay anywhere in the woods overnight. He carried her and her things for another half an hour before he couldn't go anymore either. Thankfully they were near the city's limits and it was day break though. There were houses nearby, including a pokémon center. He had used the last of his strength and consciousness to make it there where he nearly collapsed in the doorway.

Now however, it was later in the day and Shigeru was waking up. It seems like it was a rude awakening though, he felt something sharp poking him in the side, the poking slowly moving up his side until it suddenly became a pinch on the cheek. Shigeru shot up into a sitting position, not knowing what was going on, everything that had happened was foggy in his mind. He looked to the side the poking had came from to see Arti smiling with chopsticks in her hand. She had poked and pinched him with em to wake him up it seemed.

"Konnich'wa." she grinned. "Hungry? It's passed noon already lazy!" She waved a bowl of rice under Shigeru's nose. "Yum, yum!" she teased.

Shigeru laid back down, after looking about to see where he was. He apparently was in the pokémon center, on some sort of couch. He closed his eyes for a bit before opening them again. Arti was gone. Had he fallen back asleep and not realized it? He shot up, now fully awake, and looked for a clock on the wall to check the time. It couldn't be nearly 5:30pm, could it?

Jumping to his feet he grabbed his things he had with him, only then noticing a note attached to his backpack.

> _Shigeru-san, you're the laziest boy I've met! I waited for you to wake up until 5pm but you seemed happy snoring your life away!  
While you were sleeping I went out and went up against the gym leader, I actually won! So, I now have the Aquarius badge. I suspect you'll be going out to battle the gym leader soon after you wake up too. Don't worry, I already had Joy-chan heal your pokémon. I suggest you go get something to eat first, I TRIED to wake you up to eat twice, once you woke up, if you remember it, only to lay back down and fall back asleep._

Shigeru sighed and shook his head. How could he forget? The chopstick pokes STILL hurt.

> _Well, you're probably wondering where I am now. With the win and the badge I also received some money from the gym leader. You have to bet an amount on the battle, I bet all I had with me, and won, so I have double my money. Not much, but it'll help me in getting back the missing things from what I was carrying. Right now I'm somewhere in the city, and will be until tomorrow morning (unless you're so lazy you slept all day AND night!) I'm moving on to Libra County in the mountain area early morning so I won't have to travel at night. If you're heading that way then we might as well travel together. NOT that I need you following me or anything!  
Well, that's all I have to say I guess..._
>
>> > > > > > > > > > _Arti_

"At least she's waiting until tomorrow, I'd better hurry and find her then, or I might not catch her in time and miss my chance to battle for the badge here before leaving... But why do I really care? I've traveled alone before..." Shigeru realized he was talking to himself and sighed. _Well, it's nice to have someone to travel with I guess..._ he thought, picking up his things and leaving to search for Arti.

He left the pokémon center, a little embarrassed he'd crashed there all day. He couldn't really help it, he'd been too tired to go any further. After walking all night and half the preceding day he'd deserved his rest. Shigeru checked on each of the pokémon he was carrying once he was outside, letting the six he currently had out for a bit.

"Okay, we're all here it seems. Charizard, Celesteon, Nidoqueen, Pidgeot, Furret, and Hitmonlee." Shigeru said, looking over his team. He called all but Pidgeot back into their pokéballs. "Alright Pidgeot, I need to fly over the city, I'm looking for a girl with light blue hair."

Pidgeot squawked and leaned down so its trainer could get on its back. Shigeru climbed on and the bird took off. As they began to go over the main buildings of the city, Shigeru knew there was no way he'd see her from so high. "Swoop down lower, I've got to be able to see the people!" he told the bird.

Pidgeot did as told, diving between the skyscrapers and zooming past everyone's heads, slowing down one it leveled out. It dodged lamp posts and other various things such as signs in its way while Shigeru looked about for Arti. People walking along the sidewalk complained and yelped as the pokémon and trainer went flying by. Some people yelling for the police, though there was nothing really the police could do that Shigeru knew of. Unless the laws changed where he was now.

After a few minutes of flying he spotted the gym that he'd be going to later. It seemed to be in the very center of the town. It looked like your typical gym only it had four entrances to the inside, one in each direction, south, east, north, west and and binges had to meet up to the doors since the place was surrounded by water as if it was on it's own little island. On the roof however. Shigeru noticed it was different when he got a new view of the place. It looked like the battle arena was on there, the usual markings were on it. The rectangle with the pokéball like symbol in the middle. Only it seemed like there was something else in the center of the pokéball circle. A symbol that looked like three wave ripples, one on top the other. Shigeru assumed it was the symbol for Aquarius but didn't overly care. He still hadn't found Arti and realized half an hour had fly by already.

He directed Pidgeot down another street, hoping he'd find Arti soon. As he was looking about sometime came from nowhere and struck him in the back of the head. He turned to looked to see what, lifting his head up at the same time Pidgeot was going under a sign. The sign smashed into Shigeru's back and head, knocking him off and onto the cement sidewalk, face first.

"Baaaakaaaa. What took you so long?"

Shigeru painfully rolled onto his back to look up, directly up, into the clouds. "Huh...?" he was too dazed to know what was going on, though he recognized the voice.

Arti leaned over Shigeru, looking down at him. "Konnich'wa!" she was holding something in two paper bags, something that Shigeru recognized as smelling like Chinese food. "Hungry, Shige-san?" She waved one of the bags over his face. "Peel yourself from the ground and I'll let you have it!"

Shigeru groaned as he sat up. He didn't know what hurt move, the front of his head for hitting the ground or the back for hitting the sign. Arti knelt down beside him and help him onto his feet. Pidgeot had returned and was half cooing its apologies for running Shigeru into that sign. Shigeru called the bird back into its pokéball and placed it on his belt.

"You okay?" Arti asked, she blinked once, in shock that Shigeru was leaning on her.

"Yeah, I'm fine..." Shigeru replied, his voice seemed different then usual, not as deep.

"Shige-san...?"

Shigeru moved away from Arti, standing on his own power. "Something wrong?" his voice was normal now, Arti shrugged it off as the blows to the head messing him up.

"No, nothing..." She handed him one of the bags she was carrying. "Hungry? You probably haven't ate yet, have you?"

Shigeru thanked her and took the bag, peeking inside. "Thanks, but you wanna go with me to the gym? I wanna get that over with now, I'll eat on the way..."

Arti nodded, whipping out her chopsticks she'd had with her earlier. She followed at Shigeru's side as she picked at the food she had in the bag she was carrying. "I'll warn you now." she said between mouthfuls. "That gym isn't easy. One on one battle, like most are in this area. You have to take a gamble on what you think will be good on their pokémon and go with it."

"Well, I know that Aquarius means Water Carrier so it's probably a water type, right?"

Arti shook her head. "Only half water. Half another type, but, I'm not going to make your life easy and tell you what the other half is!"

Shigeru sighed, he expected as much really. Peeking into the bag Arti gave him he looked over what she'd given him. It seemed like she knew everything he liked, somehow, it was all there. He reached in picking up a sweet 'n' sour chicken ball and stuffing the whole thing in his mouth.

"Pig." Arti teased.

"Then you must be too." Shigeru retorted. Pointing out Arti had finished everything she was carrying already, somehow.

She whacked the back of his head, sending him forward, stumbling. "Oh, shush, you should be thinking about the pokémon you're going to use!"

Shigeru rubbed the back of his head and sighed. Everything happening was boring. The day, well, the time he spent awake, was pretty much uneventful, he hoped he'd be able to get his first badge today though, would be a relief and a good start on the journey.

After a while of walking they arrived at the gym and entered. The gym leader was there with a seel at her side. The girl seemed to be about 19, even if she was a bit short. Her hair was ocean blue-ish with light and dark aqua bangs that hung down in locks over her face. She looked over at Arti then to Shigeru.

"Back again?" the girl asked. "And with a cute guy I see."

Shigeru looked left then right. "Me?" he asked, looking back at the girl. "Er, thanks, I'm Shige- uh, Shigeru...."

He extended a hand, shaking the gym leader's hand. "I'm Uranus." she said, politely.

"Uranus?" Shigeru snorted a laugh. "Your Anus? Oh boy! I can imagine the cracks you get!" He covered his mouth, the "cracks" comment was unintentionally adding to Uranus' building rage. He hadn't MEANT it like the kinda "cracks" she apparently was thinking.

"Are you here to battle me?" she snapped. "If so I suggest you stop making fun of my name and chose a pokémon. One pokémon only. The battle will be on the roof, follow me."

Uranus snapped about, letting her seel flounder about on the floor. The animal tried to follow but couldn't move very well on the ground. Instead it floundered outside into a pond.

Shigeru and Arti followed Uranus. She lead them up a few flights of stairs before they finally came to the gym floor. She pointed to one end of the marked off battle area. "You. That end. Now." she ordered, unimpressed.

Shigeru did as told while Arti stepped back to the sidelines in the middle-side. Shigeru chose one pokéball from his belt and held it up to prove he was only going to use the one. Uranus nodded and crossed her arms.

"Aquarius. Battle ready." she said loudly.

A funnel of water began to form behind Uranus, coming from one of the water holes below. On the top of the funnel a medium sized teal and blue-grey animal unlike anything Shigeru had seen before. The arms slightly resembled a Psyduck but were fatter to the end, shaped like a seel's fins. It's eats were similar to a raichu in shape but lacked the curl and here sharper looking. The animal was two toed, looking like a lapras' paddles with a split down the middle to form two toes, while the head was lugia like with a more defined muzzle. The last thing Shigeru noticed was the tail dangling behind Aquarius, something like a vaporeon's tail.

After taking a moment to look at Aquarius Shigeru released his own pokémon, "Furret! Go!"

"Fuuurrr?" the pokémon purred as it looked about. The ferret like animal looked about then locked onto its enemy.

Aquarius jumped from the water it was on and floated down to the ground, almost as if it was swimming on air. It landed before Furret and hissed. Furret hissed back at it, stepping away. Aquarius was slightly bigger then she was.

"How much do you bet on this?" Uranus demanded.

"Umm..." Shigeru thought for a minute. "Twenty bucks good enough?"

Uranus nodded. "Battle, begin!" she announced. "Aquarius, Rainfall!"

"Furret, Quick Attack!"

A gust of wind came from nowhere, bringing with it a heavy rain the beat down on the two pokémon, and even the trainers there.Furret held on against the wind and still hit Aquarius, knocking it backwards slightly.

"Furry Swipes, Furret!"

The ferret scratched endlessly at Aquarius, not doing a lot of damage. It seemed the opponent had been trained more then Shigeru'd expected.

"Ocean's Gales!"

The wind picked up to twice the speed and strength, blowing Furret backwards. The pokémon tried to hang on with all its strength but was slowly sliding backwards.

_Shigeru, tell her to headbutt! She has to knock Aquarius' feet from the ground!_

Shigeru looked shocked at the voice suddenly appearing in his head. He had no idea who it was. He looked down where Aquarius' feet were and realized they had suction cups on them like an octopus, that's what was keeping the pokémon on the ground.

"Headbutt!" Shigeru ordered, hoping what he'd been told to do was going to work.

Furret dug her claws in deep then charged at the water pokémon as fast as she could, her body straight so that it wouldn't be caught in the wind as much and blow her back. She made contact with Aquarius and knocked him off his feet, causing him to be caught in his own wind and nearly blow off the field.

"Finish him with a Double Edge!"

"Aquarius! Snap outta it! Dodge!"

Furret ran, the wind helping her along now, at Aquarius, striking her opponent. Aquarius attacked at the same time, causing each of them to send one another flying. Aquarius, however, was first one off the field, Furret was the winner!

The ferret bounded over to her trainer and jumped into his arms happily. "Furrrrrreeeet!"

Aquarius' attack effects broke up, the rain and wind stopping. The pokémon hadn't had much of a chance really to fight back. Uranus walked from the other side of the field to where her pokémon was and called it into a poké ball. She then went to where Shigeru was and held up an Aquarian Badge. A sapphire version of the three waves symbol on the gym "floor". She then reached into her pocket and pulled out the money she now owed him.

"It's yours, amazingly. You shouldn't have won." she coldly stated before slamming his winnings into his hands and storming off.

Shigeru grinned, showing Furret what she'd won before calling her into her poké ball. He then pulled a case he had for his badges from his pocket and added the new addition to his collection from several leagues. After closing and putting it away her went to the stairs where Arti was waiting to descend.

"Got lucky, huh?" she asked. "One down, nine more to go..."

Shigeru nodded and flung an arm over Arti's shoulder. "Where to now?"

She removed his arm from her shoulder and sighed. "How about finding some place to spend the night? I'm not staying in a stupid pokémon center again..."

"Sure, you're paying though!"

"ME?! You're the one that just won the extra money!"

"You won earlier! You should have money!"

"You ate it!" Arti stopped and glared at Shigeru. "I expect payback for that meal!"

He stopped and looked back at her, giving the same look. "You want payback?! How about I just give it back?"

"Ewwwww, sick! BAKA!"

Arti continued making a racket going on about how sick Shigeru was for even suggesting it. She was suddenly silenced though. Thanks to Shigeru. She was still making a muffled yelp but she wasn't drawing so much attention.

She finally pushed him away from her and stared at him in shock. "Why...?" she asked, dazed. "Why did you just kiss me...?"


End file.
